My VW's have a feature that I'd like to see in the Leaf: pull the [inside] door latch handle, and the door unlocks automatically. You must pull the latch handle twice in the rear for the door to open, and the rear doors have a mechanical switch to disable the inside handle if you have young children.

I often stop at the Stop 'n Rob to grab a newspaper, leaving my wife in the car with the heater blasting. Have to unlock the driver's door or hit the Unlock button to unlock all the doors. Conversely, at home, she gets out of the car before I pull into the garage and must perform the Unlock procedure on her side.

And, I'd like to add my vote to the folks who'd like the charging door to be automatically unlocked if the doors are unlocked. Push to unlatch and open; again, my VW has that on the fuel door.

Also, I'd like to see the little flipper cover over the port replaced by something built into the door. I'm constantly forgetting to close the thing, and that can't be good in the rain or snow. Maybe a mechanical interlock to prevent the door being closed if the port cover is open?

2016 model year, SL trim with all the goodies. Two year lease, I love this car!

There may be others, but the only cars I've used with the ability to open a locked door from the inside are Fords (for the front doors only) and VW Group vehicles. GM vehicles can be set to unlock automatically when the transmission is in Park.

Most Japanese car doors work just like those on the Leaf -- locked means locked.

RD, I've not checked out a lot of cars, but we did own a couple of GM mini-vans and several VWs. Just traded a 2000 Jetta for a 2014 Passat.

The VWs are very well thought out as far as ergonomics and sensible controls, at least to me. It's a regular thing for me to get out of the vehicle while it's running or to let a passenger out while it's running. I like the transparency of the door locks.

As others have pointed out, the Leaf's electric Unlock button isn't even lighted.

The VW has auto-up on the power windows for both front windows, and I find that convenient also. Wouldn't want that feature on the rear for safety reasons.

2016 model year, SL trim with all the goodies. Two year lease, I love this car!

The best system I have yet seen is that on BMWs. If the door is locked, it takes two pulls to get out. The first unlocks the door and the second opens it. Thus, you can get out without unlocking it but you wont open it accidentally.

jdunmyer wrote:The VWs are very well thought out as far as ergonomics and sensible controls, at least to me. It's a regular thing for me to get out of the vehicle while it's running or to let a passenger out while it's running. I like the transparency of the door locks.

My other car is an Audi and while the self-unlock feature is nice, there is one situation where I still have to use the unlock button: if I go to pick up someone, if they are already at the curb I usually don't put the transmission in Park, so I either have to hit the unlock button, or I have to reach over and pull the door handle.

BTW I think the reason VW and BMW (and probably others) have implemented the style of locking system that they have is due to German law; in Germany, you are required to drive with your doors UNlocked, to make escape and rescue easier in case of a crash. Being able to easily open the door from the inside even when locked is probably a way to allow you to have the security of locked doors, but still comply with German law.

...Which I find very hard to deal with. Is it the case for everyone that only the driver's window control is lit? I cannot, for the life of me, find the lock-unlock button (or, having found it, tell the difference between which end is "lock" and which is "unlock") any tips?

I also set our car to unlock when shifted in to park. At first it was annoying, but now I like it. It forces me to put it in park when dropping off or picking up kids, it is nice to know it is in park and won't move no matter what I do. It has gotten me in the same habit when driving the van now.